PHL embassies in close touch with Filipinos in Libya, Yemen, and Bahrain

A February 19, 2011 press release by the Department of Foreign Affairs

The Philippine Embassies in Tripoli, Riyadh and Manama reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that it is in close touch and coordinating on precautionary measures with the Filipino communities in Libya, Yemen and Bahrain in the light of protest actions in those countries.

“The Embassy has coordinated with the Filipinos in Benghazi, including a Filipino priest, who said that they are taking the necessary precautions in light of events there. They have advised the other community members to stay calm and to avoid areas in trouble,” Philippine Ambassador to Libya Alejandrino Vicente said.


Soldiers were deployed on the streets of Libya’s major city of Benghazi on Friday after a “day of anger” against the government.

None of the some 26,000 Filipinos were affected during the incident.

Meanwhile, Philippine Charge d’Affaires (CDA) Ezzedin Tago reported that the Embassy is in contact on a daily basis to the Filipino community leaders in Sanaa and they are relatively safe.

“Nontheless, we have advised them to exercise caution and avoid areas of protest,” he said.

There are about 1,400 Filipinos in the country, mostly concentrated in Sanaa and the port city of Aden.

Protest actions rattled Yemen’s major cities of Taiz, Aden, and Sanaa on Friday

‘The Filipinos are safe where there are, as long as they exercise caution. Violence is only limited at certain portions of the country,” CDA Tago added.

In Bahrain, Philippine Ambassador Corazon Yap-Bahjin said that the Embassy released an advisory to Filipino community members in the country, advising them to remain calm, stay indoors and avoid any areas of protest.

“While there have been no reports of any Filipino harmed during the protest actions, we ask our kababayans to remain calm, and avoid areas of protest. We are also in constant contact with the Filipino community leaders in the country,” she said.

There are around 31,000 Filipinos in Bahrain.

Bahraini troops forcibly removed a protest camp was forcibly removed in the capital, Manama on Friday. Fifty were injured.